2019 Mercedes-Benz S-Class — MOT failures & pass rate
Across 11,427 MOT tests, the 2019 Mercedes-Benz S-Class recorded a 93.5% pass rate. Executive cars of a similar age fail 10.0% of the time, so this is 3.6pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in tyres, suspension and visibility.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 4.1% of tests against 0.9% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, ball joint and brake pads — tread depth alone was recorded 269 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2019 S-Class fails 5.7% of the time in the 0-30k band and 5.7% at 150k+, a spread of only 0.1 points.
Fuel type barely separates them — hybrid fails 6.1% of the time against 6.5% for petrol.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 15.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 3.8% of tests failed in 2021 against 7.3% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 4.1% | 467 |
| 2 | Suspension | 0.9% | 99 |
| 3 | Visibility | 0.8% | 94 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 0.7% | 85 |
| 5 | Brakes | 0.7% | 85 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 0.7% | 79 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 269 |
| 2 | Ball joint | 113 |
| 3 | Brake pads | 84 |
| 4 | Registration plates | 79 |
| 5 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 75 |
| 6 | Washers | 70 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 15.9% | 1,818 |
| 2 | Brakes | 8.1% | 923 |
| 3 | Suspension | 2.3% | 259 |
| 4 | Other defects | 2.2% | 250 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.1% | 238 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.6% | 73 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 3,317 | 5.7% |
| 30-60k | 4,023 | 7.3% |
| 60-90k | 2,197 | 7.0% |
| 90-120k | 1,125 | 4.8% |
| 120-150k | 479 | 6.5% |
| 150k+ | 283 | 5.7% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 8,733 | 6.5% |
| Petrol | 1,617 | 6.5% |
| Hybrid | 1,077 | 6.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 843 | 3.8% |
| 2022 | 2,751 | 6.5% |
| 2023 | 2,768 | 5.7% |
| 2024 | 2,613 | 7.3% |
| 2025 | 2,452 | 7.3% |
What to check before buying a 2019 S-Class
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: tyres accounted for 4.1% of tests. Start there.
- Tyres (4.1% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Suspension (0.9% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Visibility (0.8% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2019 Mercedes-Benz S-Classs pass their MOT?
93.5% of the 11,427 2019 Mercedes-Benz S-Class MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2019 Mercedes-Benz S-Class?
Tyres, recorded in 4.1% of tests, followed by suspension (0.9%).
Does the 2019 S-Class get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 5.7% in the 0-30k band to 5.7% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 11,427 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.